Doomsday Party with Rabbit Shipper

Chefs Adam Bordonaro and Ryan Lory opened Ardyn in 2019. This romantic restaurant in Greenwich Village (New York, USA) quickly attracted attention with high reviews from the media and diners, always in a state of being packed.

However, nearly a year after opening, every restaurant in New York had to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The rapid growth of Ardyn restaurant had to stop abruptly. "We put so much sweat, blood and tears into the restaurant. It seemed like we had to stop, but we finally found a way to revive it," Lory told CNN. That "revival" wasDoomsday PartyPrices start at $600 and are delivered to your doorstep by rabbits in suits.

Like many other popular restaurants in the city, Bordonaro and Lory never considered delivering food before the Covid-19 outbreak. Now, they’re ditching hot dishes that require expert chefs to complete in favor of dishes that are easy to transport and that diners can finish themselves, like lemon hamachi, grilled cauliflower, or 45-day aged Wagyu beef ribs.

“We wanted to do something for people at home, so that people could enjoy food in a cheerful space like eating at a real restaurant, right in their home,” Bordonaro said. “When we cook and enjoy good food, we forget about what is going on outside.”

Doomsday Party, named after the impact of Covid-19 on restaurants, only serves combos for 4 people or more, very suitable for families to have small parties during the days of social distancing.

Each order consists of seven dishes, delivered in individually packaged boxes. Upon receipt, customers will have to complete the dishes and heat them themselves. Each dish comes with instructions including baking times, how to assemble the parts, and a YouTube video to demonstrate. Each order must be placed at least 24 hours in advance, and deliveries are only available on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

The Hamachi, $18, arrives wrapped in wax paper, along with individual boxes of diced persimmons, pickled kohlrabi, granola, a bottle of persimmon vinegar, and some star anise from the hydroponic farm.

The wagyu ribeye with bacon and Brussels sprouts, normally $135 for two, is cooked and portioned in individual aluminum containers (which can be placed in the oven), along with a cup of Maldon salt to finish the dish.

There's no denying it was a delicious meal, but perhaps the most impressive part of theDoomsday PartyThese are the delivery drivers wearing tuxedos and bunny masks driving around Manhattan. The two restaurant owners said they wanted to create something memorable and special, strange and unique to break the monotony of having to stay at home for days.

Ardyn Restaurant will donate 15% of profits to the non-profit organization March On Foundation. Since its launchDoomsday Party, Ardyn has been delivering 10-12 orders a week. This business model can be quite profitable if you don't have to carry the burden of rent. But they are quite optimistic, even expanding the "party" to other areas like Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. "We will do it until we can't go anymore. If things go well, we will continue theDoomsday Partyeven when the restaurant reopens,” Loru told Eater.

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